The invention relates generally to mixing of chemicals, and more particularly, a fill probe with an in-line mixer attached thereto.
Chemical products come in a wide variety of mixtures and concentrations. It is not uncommon, therefore, that a chemical product user purchases several highly concentrated chemical components and selectively combines them to produce a desired end product chemical. This combining process is often referred to as xe2x80x9cformulationxe2x80x9d.
For example, a dairy farmer may employ a conditioning agent called xe2x80x9cteat dipxe2x80x9d to treat the teats of dairy cattle. A common xe2x80x9cteat dipxe2x80x9d formula may combine ingredients such as glycerine, water, lecithin, chlorhexidine gluconate, polysorbate 80, bees wax components, syphytum extract, and isopropyl alcohol. The resulting formula is typically homogeneous and viscous. Furthermore, the resulting formula tends to foam when mixed with air, which is undesirable.
In existing approaches, the dairy farmer typically inserts an air-driven mixer into a mixing drum containing the concentrated chemical components, some of which may be added during the mixing process. The farmer can then mix the component chemical with the mixer before using the end product chemical (i.e., the teat dip). However, this manual mixing process is time-consuming and costly from a labor perspective because the mixing does not occur until after the chemical components are added to the mixing drum. In addition, the insertion and removal of the manual mixer to and from the tub introduces some spillage of the various chemicals, which is undesirable.
Moreover, some formulation systems, such as that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,967,202, assigned to the Assignee of the present invention, allow the addition of multiple chemical components at the same time through a common fill line. However manual mixing is still required to produce a homogeneous chemical product.
The variation in viscosity of the chemical components makes existing in-line mixing techniques unsatisfactory for such fill and mix processes. Existing in-line mixers are set entirely into a fill line from the chemical source, but do not mix the chemicals that reside in the end product drum. Such in-line approaches also do not provide a homogeneous end product when chemical component viscosities vary widely.
Embodiments of the present invention solve the discussed problems using a combination of a fill probe and an in-line mixer to mix the chemical components as they are being added to an end product container as well as after they have been added to the end product container (e.g., the tub). By using a combination fill probe and in-line mixer of the claimed design, a user can automate the fill and mix process, decrease the required mix time, and reduce foaming and spillage of chemicals. In addition, embodiments of the present invention accommodate the addition of multiple chemicals of widely varying viscosities at the same time through the common fill line.
In one embodiment of the present invention, apparatus for mixing a plurality of component chemicals being delivered to a mixing container is provided. A fill probe comprises a tube-like structure having an input aperture being adapted to receive the plurality of chemical components, an output aperture being adapted to deliver the plurality of chemical components into the mixing container, and a mixer aperture. A mixer includes a mixer motor, a mixing attachment, a mixer shaft having a proximal end extending through the mixer aperture of the fill probe and being operably attached to the mixer motor and a distal end extending through the output aperture of the fill probe and being operably attached to the mixing attachment. The mixing attachment is positioned in an output flow of the chemical components from the fill probe and is positioned outside of the fill probe to mix the plurality of chemical components delivered to the mixing container through the output aperture of the fill probe.
In another embodiment, a method of mixing a plurality of component chemicals being delivered to a mixing container is provided. A fill probe includes an input aperture, an output aperture, and a tube-like structure inserted into the mixing container. The fill probe also has a mixing attachment attached thereto and extending outside the tube-like structure of the fill probe into the mixing container. Chemical components are input to the input aperture of the fill probe to deliver the chemical components into the mixing container. Motive force is applied to the mixing attachment so that the chemical components exiting the output aperture of the fill probe are mixed by the mixing attachment and the chemical components already contained in the mixing container are also mixed by the mixing attachment. Input of the chemical components to the input aperture of the fill probe is ceased, after applying motive force to the mixing attachment. Application of the motive force to the mixing attachment is maintained until the chemical components contained in the mixing container are thoroughly mixed, after the operation of ceasing input of the chemical components.
In yet another embodiment, apparatus for mixing a plurality of component chemicals being delivered to a mixing container is provided. Tube-like means deliver chemical components into the mixing container. Means for mixing the chemical components during delivery of the chemical components into the mixing container and after delivery of the chemical components into the mixing container are also provided.
These and various other features as well as other advantages, which characterize the present invention, will be apparent from a reading of the following detailed description and a review of the associated drawings.